Things to Do With Kids in Westchester on October 8

Find free and low-cost things to do with kids in Westchester today, October 8, including fun activities and events the whole family can enjoy. See what's going on today in Westchester's museums, galleries, and libraries for some educational fun; in the parks, for outdoor and nature activities; and in the theaters, for children's concerts and performances. Plus, get details and directions on any street fairs or holiday festivals happening October 8. For even more free and low-cost upcoming events in Westchester, check out our complete calendar of events.

A unique High Holiday celebration, 2011/5772, which acknowledges Jewish culture and historic connections with a distinctive humanistic approach. All are welcome. Please bring a dish for the break-fast. RSVP to Charlotte Klein at 914-218-8535, or email charlotteklein48@verizon.net.

For decades, advice columnist Ann Landers answered countless letters from lovelorn teens, confused couples, and a multitude of others in need of advice. Late on a 1975 night in Landers' Chicago apartment, an ironic twist of events confronts her with a looming deadline for a column dealing with a new kind of heartbreak: her own. A Blueberry Pond Theatre Ensemble Production.

One of the largest traditional Columbus Day weekend celebrations in Westchester county. Through October 9. Carnival opens at 1pm October 8 and 9, and includes rides, games, local food, merchant vendors, live entertainment, fireworks by Grucci, and a Homemade Meatball Contest. Parade starts at 3:30pm Sunday, October 9. For more information: www.EastchesterColumbusDay.com.

Spend a haunt-filled day at the homestead of Washington Irving, creator of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." There will be ghost stories, live musicians, magicians, puppeteers, a spooky mime scarecrow, old-fashioned games, tasty treats, house tours and hands-on activities like make-your-own scarecrow. Jonathan Ellers will offer his special one-man adaptations of Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Devil and Tom Walker." Performances take place throughout the day. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume.

Master storyteller Jonathan Kruk offers a dramatic reading of Washington Irving's classic tale, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." featuring the Headless Horseman, Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, and Katrina Van Tassel. Flavored with live spooky organ music by Jim Keyes. Performances on the hour. Admission for this 45-minute performance are by timed ticket only, which must be purchased in advance at www.hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914-631-8200.

Taking the tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to its darkest extremes, Philipsburg Manor transforms into a terrifying landscape ruled by the undead, the evil, and the insane. Visitors begin walking a haunted trail, stumbling upon scary scenes of a town driven mad by the Headless Horseman. The Hollow's unfortunate inhabitants are all too ready to keep visitors from ever leaving. Creatures, human and otherwise, lurk in the shadows, ready to terrify the unsuspecting while incredible special effects disorient and unsettle. Those who survive the trail must still negotiate a twisted maze of horrors, only to end up in the lair of the Horseman where a party is being thrown in his honor. This event is NOT suitable for small children or the faint of heart. All admissions are by timed ticket only, which must be purchased in advance at www.hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914-631-8200.

The tri-state area's biggest Halloween event returns for 21 nights. Meander through an 18th-Century riverside landscape and discover a breathtaking display - more than 4,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated Jack O' Lanterns! This elaborate walk-through event features original, atmospheric music, sound effects, and synchronized lighting. See slithering snakes, a giant spider web, an undersea aquarium, super-sized dinosaurs, pirates, ghosts, a mammoth Jack O' Lantern "King Kong" perched on a tall building, and a collection of creatures based on Greek and Roman mythology. Spot spooky sheep skeletons "roaming" the Van Cortlandt grounds and gasp at a cemetery where huge headstones are created from three-ft.-high pumpkins. All admissions are by timed ticket only, which must be purchased in advance at www.hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914-631-8200.

A special talk about the wolves of Yellowstone National Park. Guests will visit Ambassador wolves Atka, Alawa, and Zephyr, as well as the WCC's endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. Don't forget a camera. Pre-registration required.

Two new ambassador wolf pups are now living in the center. Learn about the mythology, biology and ecology of wolf families. Take a short sunset hike to howl with the wolves. Bring flashlights and cameras. Weather-appropriate treats will be served. Pre-registration required.

Welcome back The Friendly Falcons and their Friend the Snake. Look for migrating hawks soaring, circling, and gliding above the Hudson, then create your very own wind sock or raptor and take flight. At 12:30, join in a performance by The Friendly Falcons. Ecology Building. Admission to the grounds is free until noon.

Free classes instructed by a rotation of teachers include yoga, movement, and meditation, offered to breast cancer survivors and those seeking a holistic and supportive environment for healing.
Ongoing Sundays.

Kids pitch in to collect eggs. Note: children must be accompanied by at least one ticketed adult and all people attending the program must buy a ticket. Important: all participants must wear closed-toe shoes for this program.

Seasonal climate and weather will help play a role in deciding where this hike take place. A museum naturalist will select a trail and topic to find some of the exciting ecological events which are occurring.

A walk-through style, interactive haunted house, considered to be the most frightening Halloween event in Westchester County. No infants or pregnant women may be admitted. Although children under 12 years are allowed entry when accompanied by an adult, the event is not recommended for children under age 8. Through October 31.

Curated by Pelham Art Center Gallery Board Chair Titia Hulst, the exhibit gives a rare and in-depth look at underwater sea life through photography, by Edward Dorson, sculpture by Jae Hi Ahn, and a sound installation by Liz Phillips. Through October 29.

Pumpkin sculptures of spooky scarecrows, frightening spiders, sneaky snakes, and more designed by artist Michael Natiello greet visitors at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Kids can play inside a Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, have a "hoot" finding out what owls eat by dissecting pellets, and look for wiggly worms under a rotting log.

A walk-through style, interactive haunted house, considered to be the most frightening Halloween event in Westchester County. No infants or pregnant women may be admitted. Although children under 12 years are allowed entry when accompanied by an adult, the event is not recommended for children under age 8. Through October 31.

A weekly group for infants and moms, led by the WRT Early Childhood Center's social worker, Brenda Stern. Topics will include formula, sleep, immunizations, siblings and nutrition, Learn something new, make new friends, and enjoy this special time.

Perhaps the most popular musical of the 1950s, "My Fair Lady" is based on George Bernard Shaw's classic play "Pygmalion." The story revolves around Eliza Doolittle, a coarse peddler of flowers in Covent Garden who agrees to take speech lessons from phonetician Henry Higgins in order to fulfill her dream of working in a flower shop.

The exhibit remembers the 109 men of Pound Ridge, almost 32% of the male population (18+) in 1861, who bravely served the Union. A special video exhibit highlights pages from the diary of Sgt. George E. Dixon, who stood guard over the Lincoln conspirators and witnessed their court trial and execution. Also on exhibit, original Civil War art by Don Spaulding, original Union uniforms, and other memorabilia.

Finger plays, action rhymes, songs, and stories to encourage an enjoyment of books and stimulate early listening skills, learning, and speaking skills. Recommended for ages 1 to 2-1/2 years. Weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday through December 16. In the Program Room.

Finger plays, action rhymes, songs, and stories to encourage an enjoyment of books and stimulate early listening skills, learning, and speaking skills. Recommended for ages 2-1/2 to 5 years. Weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday through December 16. In the Program Room.

New York has long held special appeal for the illustrators and writers of children's books. Storied City, showcasing original art from more than 35 picture books, examines the city's iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, parks, and modes of transportation. Featured illustrators include seven Caldecott Medal winners (Richard Egielski, Mordicai Gerstein, Jerry Pinkney, Brian Selznick, Marc Simont, David Small, and David Wiesner); several artists long associated with The New Yorker magazine (Maira Kalman, James McMullan, Roxie Munro, Edward Sorel), and many other leading illustrators from the world of children's books. Through December 31.

New York, New York! The 20th Century celebrates the city as muse to photographers, painters, and sculptors, encompassing the varied cultures and lifestyles of its inhabitants. The exhibition features over 50 works from the Norton collection, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, and works on paper by Berenice Abbott, Diane Arbus, Stuart Davis, Andreas Feininger, William Gropper, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Marin, Reginald Marsh, and Edward Steichen, among others. Through December 31, 2011.

America's manufacturing success is primarily due to the dreams and inventions of its many citizens. Few people realize that from the time Thomas Jefferson formed the U.S. Patent Office in 1790, and throughout the American Industrial Revolution, inventors were required to submit a working, scale model of their inventions, when applying for a patent. "Problem-solving with American ingenuity" is seen in more than 50 intricately crafted, working scale, one-of-a-kind models of inventions that were submitted to the U.S. Patent Office from the 1880s through the early 1900s. Intriguing to viewers of all ages, gadget- and invention-buffs, and everyday folks, the inventions are now a permanent part of our culture from the first patented rocking chair and foldout bed to a burglar alarm. The Rothschild Collection is the world's largest gathering of viewable U.S. Patent Models. Through January 1, 2012.

American painter Elihu Vedder journeyed up the Nile from December 1889 to April 1990 and recorded his fascination with Egypt's panoramas. He drew and painted the Nile's sand, cliffs and ancient ruins, often aboard a rented dahabeya, a traditional Egyptian houseboat. His artwork is presented, for the first time, in this exhibition. Museum closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Through January 8, 2012.

A light-hearted class open to women of all ages and interests, suitable for beginners. Stretch, strengthen, manage weight or just relax. Yoga balls and props are used to build balance and core strength. Mats provided. Tuesdays 7:30-8:45pm.

Strengthen your body, center yourself, and re-energize with a fun workout with your baby. Babies will fuss, fidget and cry and it's all fine. Babies should be 6 weeks old and not yet crawling. Bring a baby blanket, mats provided. Drop in any day, no registration required. Sundays 11am; Tuesdays 10:30am; Thursdays 11:30am.

Fertility Yoga aids women who are open to conception. This restorative yoga class increases pelvic circulation and guides you into deep relaxation. It is safe to attend during IVF treatment. The class has been a great support to many women who have conceived after long fertility journeys. Thursdays 7:30-8:45pm.

Drop in any time to ease the anxiety and sensations of pregnancy and prepare for the challenges of labor, birth, and motherhood. Best during 2nd and 3rd trimester. Mats provided. Purchase a multi-class card and get a 10% discount at The Shop at Full Circle.

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Share your story in the Caring Kids Awards program and be recognized for the giving back that you do. This program celebrates the many good deeds that families do together to teach their children the importance of helping others. 8 families will be recognized win given $500 as a special thank you. Caring Kids Awards.